What Does it Mean?

That is a question that we ask when we see, or hear, something that is unclear to us. Sometimes it is something brand new, sometimes it is a foreign idea or symbol, sometimes it is something that we are very familar with but have yet to embrace. It is the latter that I am referring to today.

I am currently wrestling with the areas of discipleship and evangelism in my study, my teaching and preaching. Now I hear some pastors don't preach/teach on anything until they have thoroughly studied, understood and have their ideas all laid out. I am not one of those people.
I have a tendency to start studying something, get very intrigued by it, and decide that this needs to be taught now. In my mind if the Lord is working me through I assume that there are others who need to work through it as well. So I guess what happens is that we work it out together.

All of which leads me back to the question, 'What does it mean?', especially our role in evangelism and discipleship. That is the dominating question for me now, and in the last 3 weeks. I know what I am supposed to say, I know most of what the Bible says (I am not about to claim that I know all that the Bible says on these subjects) but as I study I am realizing that my life is not such a great example of these two vital areas. So 'What does it mean?'. Is it enough to simply know the answers intellectually? Or, do I need to be living it more regularly before I can really claim that I know about evangelism or discipleship?

I am pretty sure that I know the answers to my last two questions, but I sure don't like the answers or the implications that come for the answers. As I said I am still wrestling, maybe you can wrestle along with me (I mean wrestle with the issues not actually with me, only my grandkids are allowed to really wrestle with me these days. Well I should be truthful and say my wife can too.) I will likely be writing more on this in the near future.

Sometimes I really don't like studying...